Insomnia and disrupted sleep are some of the most common complaints Americans present to their doctors. A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania determined that 25 percent of Americans will experience an acute episode of insomnia within the course of a year. A further 25 percent of that group will then proceed to develop chronic insomnia which may last for years and negatively affect health in many ways.
The importance of sleep is obvious to anyone who has ever missed a single night of slumber. While many aspects of our sleep architecture and phases are poorly understood, we have clearly established the role of sleep on the daily metabolic maintenance and detoxification our bodies require. These fundamental functions of the human body are needed to achieve optimal health and pull us away from the depths of disease.
